Machine for gathering cotton squares



Nov. 20 1923.

w. L. GARRETT MACHINE FOR GATHERING COTTON SQUARES Filed Oct. 28, 1.922 2 Sheets-Sheet Nov. 20, 1923.

W. L. ,GARRETT v MACHINE FOR GATHERING COTTON SQUARES Filed Oct. 28, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3mm v W. hG'cTmvit .ing-is a specification.

tlie latter.

' Patented Nov. 20., 1923. 3

ounce stares.

WilILIAM L. GARRETnoF FORNEY, TEXAS- rin'c'nrnn sea GATHERI'NG cor'cronsmmaas.

Application an October as, 1922. Serial No. 597,447,

This invention relatesto new and useful improvements in machines for gatherlng cotton squares and insects.

The invention contemplates a machine adapted to straddle a row of cotton and gather by 'means of suction the infected squares whichhave fallen on the grouiidon' each'side oftherow. The squares are discharged between a "pair of rollers which mash the same, thus destroying the eggs or larvae of the bell weevil or other insects.

. A particular object is to provide an in clined detachable flue which is bifurcated at i ts lower end so as to "straddle the "row and which communicatesfat its. upper "end with "a motor driven fan: together with a discharge chute having its *mouth substantially tangential to the said fan and opposite the upper end of said flue, whereby a more direct discharge of matter from the fan iseflect'ed. An-important feature-resides in forwardly directed elbows on the lower bifurcated end of' the flue which constitute "the mouths of further obj ect is 'to provide attachment to 'be used in place of the bifurcated flue, whereby the -mac"hine.,may be1uti-liz'ed.

for 'gatherin-g green bugs and ;otherj-i-nsects which infestf grain such as wheat and oats.@ or. V

A construction designed to carry out; the invention will be hereinafter;described to gether with other features of the invention.

The invention will-be jnfiore readily under stood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanV- ing drawings, in which an example of the invention is shown and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation-0f a machine constructed in accordance with the invention,

Fig. 2 is aplan view of the same,

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the lower end of the insect removing attachment employed when using the machine in a grain field,

Fig. 4c is a side elevation of the lower end of said attachment, and

. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail'of thero'llers;

In the drawings the numeral rl0idesighates i a rectangular frame carried none and rear ground wheels 11 and.12in which arch' axles 13 and 14: are mounted respetively:

A rectangular fan'housing- '15 is-mountfed fon the frame 10Iad acent the are ar-a'xlegand en-v closes a fan 16 which is journall'ed in suitable bearings 17 on the sides of saidhousing. The housing is closed by a removable top 18'l1aving-liandles-19 and whereby ready access may be had to the fan.

In order to drlve the fan at. a high-speed I mount a gas engine 20 on aiplatfornraQlf secured'to the forward end .ofthe' frame 10.

An endless'belt 22 driven off thelflv wheelzof said engine drives a pulley 23 on one end of the fan shaft whereby said fanisrevolved;

A fuel tank Qatmay be suitablylmounted on said platform'arid be connected by a "supply pipe 25 with said engine.11 y

- The upper're'arside of the housing -15-has asleeve 25 decliningrearwardly therefrom,

' said sleeve extending transversely the entire width of said housing. The upper end 0f. an inclined flue 26is adapted to telescope into the outer end of the-sleeve, as is sliown, in Fig. 1. The-flue maybesecured in the sleeve by means ,of sn'aphoo'ks, 27 engaging in eyes 28 on the sleeve; as Well as by similar ho'oks29 connected "to the sides of the frame 10 andenga inll in eyesBOon'the sides of said flue. The---sidesjof thefluegdiverge downwardly and a relatively wide'gslot 31 is provided "centrally in the lowerfportion so that a row of plants can pass therethru;

An important feature of the lHVQIIlilOII i Jt I'IQ elbows .32 which'are; integral with'the; bifurcations of the flue and directed forwardly. The ends of the elbows I constitutemouths which are disposed on'each Isidepf the row and approach the fallen squares in the furrows as themachine is drawn. particu;

lar advantage is had by this arrangement. as

V is the upper end of a discharge chute33, the

' upon the top side of which is preferably made of wire screen or the like. This chute also extends transversely the width of the housing and a pair of rollers 34 and 35 are located at the lower end of said chute. The said rollers are parallel and are suitably journalled in the longitudinal members of the frame 10. Gears 36 and 37 are mounted on corresponding ends of the roller shafts and are constantly in mesh. Mounted outwardly of the gear 36' on the roller shaft is a flanged pulley 38 which is driven by means of an endless belt 39 which in turn is driven by a pulley 40 on the corresponding end of the fan shaft.

' It will be seen that when the fan revolves motion is imparted to the roller 34 which transmits motion to the other roller thru the gears 36 and 37 It will be seen that as the punctured squares are drawn thru the flue 26 and into the housing 15, they are thrown by the fan' 16 into the mouth of the chute 33. As said squares reach the bottom of the chute they are crushed between the rollers 34 and 35 and discharged into a receptacle 41 extending transversely of the machine and hinged to the underside of the frame 10. One side of the receptacl is held in place by means of hooks 42 or the like, and when it is desired to empty the pan it is only necessary to dis engage the hooks and let the pan swing down, whereby the crushed matter will fall ground.

The breast 43 of the fan housing as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, is curved from the opening of the sleeve 25 to the mouth of the discharge chute 33, conforming to the contour of the fan and being in close proximity to the outer edges of the blades as the fan revolves. A particular advantage is had in the location of the mouth of the said chute, as it will be seen that said mouth is substantially tangential to the path of the fan and as the fan receives the squares from the flue they are readily thrown into said mouth by centrifugal force. By this arrangement the squares are conveyed thru the machine in a more positive manner and are prevented from lodging in the fan housing.

In Figs. 3 and 4 I have shown a modification in the form of an attachment which may be used for removing insects such as green bugs from growing wheat, oats or the like. The attachment comprises a flue which may be connected in the sleeve 25 in place of the bifurcated flue 26. No slot is provided inthe attachment and instead of having an elbow, the lower end is directed downwardly and terminates considerably short of the groundso that the mouth will be over the top of the grain. Green bugs and other insects are then readily removed from the grain by the vacuum and sucked thru the machine in the same manner asthe squares.

On one side of the frame 10 I mount a lever 51 and a locking segment 52, said lever being connected with the rear axle by means of a link 53. It will be seen that said,

axle may be shifted by said lever and a vertical adjustment thereby had. By such adjustment the mouth of the attachment 50 may be brought into proximity to the top of the grain at difierent stages of its growth. It is obvious that the bifurcated flue 26 may be adjustedlikewise by said lever.

Various changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim, is:

In a machine of the class described, the combination of a rectangular wheeled frame adapted to straddle a row of plants, a rectangular fan housing mounted on the central portion of said frame, a fan mounted to revolve in said housing, a flue communicating with the housing and declining from the upper rear side of the same and being bifurcated at its lower end, the said bifurcations terminating in forwardly directed elbows constituting the mouths of said flue and being adapted to travel in the furrows on each side of the row and approach the fallen squares therein as the machine is drawn, a discharge chute declining from the upper front side of said housing and having its mouth substantially tangential to the path of the fan, a pair of rollers extending transversely of the machine at the bottom of said chute between which the discharged matter is crushed, and means for driving the fan and said rollers. 4

WILLIAM L. GARRETT. 

